Let's face it, drinking milk is pretty healthy at the best of times, but new research has discovered that Mothers-to-be can reduce their babies' risk of developing multiple sclerosis in later life by drinking it.

Around 100,000 people in the UK suffer from MS, an auto-immune disease which destroys the fatty insulating sheath of myelin that coats nerve fibres in the brain and spinal cord.

The disease is most often diagnosed in people aged 20 to 40. Symptoms may range from mild tingling sensations to crippling paralysis.

The discovery emerged from a study of 35,794 female nurses whose mothers provided information about their diet during pregnancy.

The researchers found that the risk of MS was lower among women born to mothers who drank a lot of milk while pregnant.

Dr Fariba Mirzaei, from the Harvard School of Public Health in Boston, US, who led the study, said: "The risk of MS among daughters whose mothers consumed four glasses of milk per day was 56% lower than daughters whose mothers consumed less than three glasses of milk per month.

"We also found the risk of MS among daughters whose mothers were in the top 20% of vitamin D intake during pregnancy was 45% lower than daughters whose mothers were in the bottom 20% for vitamin D intake during pregnancy."

She added: "There is growing evidence that vitamin D has an effect on MS. The results of this study suggest that this effect may begin in the womb."

Exposure to sunlight, oily fish such as salmon and mackerel and fortified milk are key sources of vitamin D.

It would certainly be beneficial to consume any of the above during pregnancy, as they all form part of a good healthy balanced diet.